Tic-Tac-Toe, Three Hearts in a Row!
perfect for Valentine’s Day
Supplies:
21″ square piece of fabric for the “fabric board”
1/4 yard patterned fabric for one set of hearts (5 hearts total)
1/4 yard patterned fabric for contrasting set of hearts (5 hearts total)
Fabric paint
Paintbrush
Bag of beans
Hand-sewing needle
Coordinating thread
Cardstock
Scissors
Pins
Sewing machine
Seam allowance: 1/4″
Directions for the fabric board:
Paint your 3×3 grid onto the right side of the fabric. Allow to dry completely, then iron to heat-set the design on. Fold in the edges 1/4″, press, fold another 1/4″ press, and pin in place. Sew around the entire perimeter of your square fabric.
Directions for the heart beanbags:
Create your heart template by drawing a heart about the size of the center square. Using that template, cut out 2 pieces of fabric per beanbag. With the right sides together, stitch around the perimeter, leaving a 2″ opening for turning. Clip the curves around the heart, turn, and press. Fill the beanbags with beans and slip stitch the opening closed. If you want to avoid any hand-sewing, just fold in the opening, press, and edge stitch as close to the folded edge as possible.
If you’re not making this for a gift, it’s a good project that children can help out with. They are usually pro at tic-tac-toe, so more than likely they can paint on the grid with their eyes closed. Filling the beans bags are also good for little hands and helps them develop their motor skills. Of course once it’s all made, the kids will have fun playing this game over and over again. If you just want to make the beanbags, you can have children draw a 3×3 grid on the concrete with chalk; I’m sure they will love that too. We painted a heart on a little tote, and put all the pieces of the game inside, so we can keep everything together.
The California weather has been extra glorious and we are ready for spring. Well, I guess since it’s California, it’s pretty much spring already. I totally love the look of rompers and jumpsuits, and while I try to rock it, children are way more capable of pulling it off. It won’t stop me from trying though! True’s floral number and Glow’s polka-dotted one (this one is so cute too!) are both so adorable and perfectly suited for welcoming spring. Glow loves hers so much that she was asking if she could wear it to sleep too. Soul’s not one for rompers, as she needs a dress or skirt because it must always have some “twirl” she says. Brave’s been into wearing bright socks lately, so these were just the radiance she was looking for. If it’s not “play tic-tac-toe outside kind-of-weather” for you yet, hang in there, spring will come!
on true: floral romper & socks, c/o old navy. shoes, vintage. on brave: striped dress & socks, c/o old navy. checkered vans, shoes.com. on soul: chambray dress & leopard shoes (we cut off the elastic), c/o old navy. on glow: pink romper & sneakers, c/o old navy.
This post is sponsored by Old Navy. All kids & baby items are currently on sale (until 2/12) at Old Navy, so be sure to check them out online or your local store. Thank you for your continuous support of this space and the brands I partner with.
so cute!! 🙂
Glad you like it!
so cute!
xx nikki
http://www.dream-in-neon.com
what a cute idea for V-DAy!
Thank you!
Your family is so sweet and I love hearing about all the fun things you guys do. I have a serious question though. I know every family is different and everyone’s parenting style is different but with 4 little ones (and especially since you are home with them so much) do you make yourself available to them all day long or do they play together and give you space at all during the day? Is your day filled to the brim with “mommy, I need this, help me with this, watch this, watch this, look at this, I’m hungry, play with us, etc. etc. etc.”? I am so curious! With 4 are you ever able to finish one personal thought in your head without interruptions? Maybe your parenting style is simply that you make yourself available to them all day long or maybe you have taught them to fend for themselves more. Or maybe they keep each other busy! I am just very curious how you make it work. I only have two and feel like the “mommy, mommy mommy” chatter never ends 🙂 Hard to imagine adding another!
Thanks!
Love you and your family.
I’m with them most of the day, but I don’t really hover. When we are doing school, I’m there and we are doing things together. Or when we are working on a project, I’m there right with them too. Otherwise, since they are all so close in age, they are good at entertaining each other and I just let them be. It gives me time to throw a load in the washing machine, clean up areas that need tidying, and get to some things online. We have set times from breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner, so they know those times and they don’t constantly ask for food. They will let me know when they are starting to get hungry, but they know to wait until it’s time. I’m home and there when they need me, but I give them space too. I sometimes will hear them fight and depending if it sounds like it’s escalating, I will keep out of it and let them problem solve it. Sometimes, I do need to step in and we help them see who’s at fault and who needs to ask for forgiveness, but plenty of times, I let them learn how to solve conflict themselves too. Of course, we had to practice and model that a lot of times before (and still) so they can determine how to do that themselves. They are still little though, so sometimes their idea of who’s at fault can get blurred and I’ll need to help them see that. There is a lot of neediness too, so by the time 5:30 rolls around, I’m itching for Ben to get home and be 2 on 4. Then once 7 hits, I check out, and Ben handles it, and I get my me time.
There’s a lot of yelling and fighting that goes on too. They are 4 children after all (all so close in age!), so we have all that normal stuff too. I can sometimes be found in the middle of the day sitting in the hallway crying from exhaustion, so it’s just some days are good and controlled, and some are just plain chaotic! And some days Ben comes home and I’m spewing F-bombs to him about the day. I’m learning every day is an adventure and I need to expect the unexpected and not get in a hissy fit because things don’t go my way.
Eekkk! I am so making this today! I have 3 little nieces who would love it!
Did you make it?! If you did, I’m sure they loved it!